Dispensing tank



may 13 19241, M9395 (LA. BRQWN DISPENSING TANK Original Filed July 22, 1920 2 Sheets-Shem 1 lll ll|illlil @2/6/2/07 650/43 651 flee l/VN G, A. RQWN DISPENSING TANK Originalfiiled July 22,- 192@ 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A II? Pl PE COMPRESSOR P9595 Una Wars DPA IN PE SURPLUS FLUID RETURN [721/671, zor GEOPGEABEOW/V Patented May 13, 1924.

GEORGE A. BROWN, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DISPEN SING TANK.

Application filed July 22, 1920, Serial No. 398,207. Renewed October 26, 1922. Serial No. 597,140.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, resident of St. Paul, county of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensin Tanks, of which the following is a speci cation.

The object of my invention is to provide means in connection with a liquid supply tank from which the liquid is discharged by air pressure to automatically shut ofi the air pressure when the sup-ply of liquid in the tank falls below a predetermined point.

A further object is to provide a device of this kind for use in connection with a liquid. fuel dispensing machine for cutting off the flow of air to the machine when the supply of liquid fuel in the supply tank is exhausted.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims. 7 I

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a dispensing tank embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a detail sectional view through a valve controlling the admission of air to the dispensing machine,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view.

Figure 4 is a view showing the connection of my improved supply tank with a dispensing machine.

In the drawing, 2 represents the main supply tank. An auxiliary tank 3 is joined to the walls thereof and has a partition 4: separating its chamber from the chamber of the main tank 2. The chamber of the tank 3 is filled through the pipe 5 which extends through the partition 4: and is provided with a check valve 6 which controls the flow of the liquid from the tank 2 into the auxiliary tank. There is no pressure on the walls of the main tank but the auxiliary tank is subjected to sufiicient pressure to lift the oil therefrom to the dispensing machine or to any other desired point. The purpose of the auxiliary tank is to provide a comparatively small receptacle adapted to receive the liquid from the large tank and connected with a source of air under pressure so that, whenever desired, the liquid may be discharged from the auxiliary tank without the necessity of having any air pressure in the main tank. The main tank has an opening 7 and cover therefor through which access may be had to the check valve and filling and return pipes 8 and 9 are provided in the top of the tank 2 for supplying fuel oil thereto and conducting the overflow of the dispensing machine back into the chamber of the main supply tank.

10 is a pipe through which the liquid in the auxiliary tank is lifted and delivered at any desired point, as, for instance, the dispensing tank of a coin-contro-lled machine. This invention is adapted, however, for a variety of purposes and its use is not confined to a liquid fuel dispensing apparatus, although I have described such use in this specification. 11 is an air pipe leading from the dispensing machine to the auxiliary supply tank and through which air is delivered to the auxiliary tank for raising the liquid fuel therein through the pipe 10 to the dispensing tank. 12 is a pipe communicating with the air pump through which air under pressure is delivered to the dispensing machine and from thence through the pipe 11 to the auxiliary supply tank. In this main air pipe 12 I arrange a valve 13 having a seat 14 and a taper valve or plug 15 fitting said seat and normally held thereon by a compression spring 16. This valve 15 is arranged to close the passage through the main air supply pipe. A rod. 17 is mounted to move vertically in a guide 18 and extends to a point near the bottom of the tank 2 where it is pivotally connected with the arm 19 that is pivoted at 20 in the tank and carries a float 21 at its opposite end that is normally adapted to ride on the liquid in the tank 2. When this liquid is at or above a certain level, the float will be raised, lifting the rod 1'? unseating the taper valve 15 and allowing the air to flow through the main supply pipe to a vending or dispensing machine or any other apparatus with which the tank may be connected. The valve will remain open as long as the supply of liquid fuel in the main tank 2 continues. As soon, however, as it falls below a predetermined. level and the dispensing machine when so connected would be inoperative to deliver a supply of fuel upon the deposit of a coin, the float will drop, carrying with it the rod 17 and thereupon the valve 15 will close and shut ofl the flow of air through the pipe to the machine and the apparatus will therefore be inoperative to deliver fuel until the suppl tank is again filled with oil.

The general application of the invention is illustrated in Figure 4, in which, when the float rises in the sup-ply tank, the valve 13 will be opened, allowing air to flow in the direction of the arrow through the pipe 12 into the dispensing machine, and when this machine is operated in the usual way by the deposit of a coin, the air pressure will pass down through the pipe 11 into the auxiliary tank and force the fluid therein up throu the fluid feed ipe 10 in the direction of t e arrow to the dispensing tank. The pipe 9 returns the overflow and the pipe 22 is a water drain pipe by means of which the water in the fluid in the auxiliary tank is removed when it collects in the bottom of the tank.

The auxiliary tank is shown as a part of the main tank for the reason that insurance writers refuse to allow any coupling or fittings in the bottom of a supply. tank of this kind and of course a very much smaller amount of air is required to lift the li uid from the small tank than would be required to discharge it from the larger one.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said tank to said machine, a fluid pressure ipe leading through said machine to said tank, a controlling valve therefor, and a float connected with said valve for opening it when there is a supply of fluid in said tank and closing said valve 7 when the supply of fluid is below a predetermined level in said tank. I 2. The combination, with a liquid supply tank and an auxiliary tank connected therewith and a pipe for delivering air under pressure to said auxiliary tank, of a discharge pipe for said auxiliary tank, a valve mounted in said air supply pipe and normally open for allowing the flow of air through said pipe, and means connected with said valve for allowing it to close and shut off the passage of air through said pipe when the liquid in said supply tank drops below a certain redetermined level.

3. n combination, with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank without pressure therein, an auxiliary tank under pressure communicating with said supply tank and automatically filled therefrom, a fluid feed pipe leading from said auxiliary tank to said machine, a fluid pressure pipe leading through said-machine to said auxiliary tank, a controlling valve therefor, and a float connected with said valve for opening it when the supply of fluid in said tank is above a predetermined level and closing said valve when the supply of fluid in said tank is below a predetermined level.

4. The combination, with a liquid supply tank and an auxiliary tank depending therefrom and having a partition separating its interior from the interior of said supply tank, a feed pipe and a check valve communicating with said supply tank and said auxiliary tank, a liquid delivery pipe communicating with said auxiliary tank, a pipe for delivering air under pressure tosaid auxiliary tank, and means governed by the lowering of the liquid level in said supply tank for automatically shutting ofl the flow of air to said auxiliary tank.

5. In combination with a liquid supply tank having no pressure therein, of an auxiliary tank having means for automatically delivering fluid thereto from said supply tank, a pipe for admitting fluid ressure to said auxiliary tank to eject the uid therefrom, a valve for controlling the flow of fluid pressure to said auxiliary tank, and a float controlled by the rise and fall of the fluid in said supply tank for opening and closing said valve. I

6. In combination, with a fluid dispensing machine, a supply tank adapted to contain a fluid and having no pressure therein, an auxiliary tank connected with said supply tank to'be filled therefrom, a fluid pressure pipe leading to said auxiliary tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said auxiliary tank to said machine, a valve in said fluid pressure pipe for controlling the passage of air through said machine to said auxiliary tank, and a float mounted in said su ply tank and connected with said valve and arranged to close said valve when the supply of fluid in said supply tank falls below a predetermined level.

7 In combination with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank having no pressure therein, and auxiliary tank connected with said supply tank to receive fluid therefrom, a fluid pressure pipe communicatin with said machine, and leading into said auxiliary tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said auxiliary tank to said machine, a valve controlled by the rise and fall of the level of the fluid in said supply tank for admitting fluid pressure through said machine to said auxiliary tank, and a water drain pipe leading from the bottom of said auxiliary tank.

8. In combination with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said tank to said machine,

a fluid pressure pipe leading through saidmachine to said tank, a controlling valve therefor, and means operated by the rise and fall of the level of the liquid in said tank for opening and closing said valve.

9. In combination, with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank having no pressure therein, an auxiliary tank under pressure communicating with said supply tank and automatically filled therefrom, a

' level of the liquid in said supply tank for opening and closing said valve.

10. In combination, with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank having no pressure therein, an auxiliary tank under pressure communicating with said supply tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said auxiliary tank to said machine, and mechanism governed by the rise and fall of the level of the liquid in said supply tank for delivering liquid from said auxiliary tank to said machine.

11. In combination, with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said tank to said machine, a fluid 'ressure pipe leading through saidmachine to said tank, and means governed by 'therise and fall of the level of the liquid in said supply tank for controlling delivery of fluid pressure to said tank.

12. In combination, with a fluid dispensing machine, a fluid supply tank, a fluid feed pipe leading from said tank to said machine, a fluid pressure pipe leading through said machine to said tank, an overflow return pipe leading from said machine to said tank, and means governed by the rise and fall of the level of the liquid in said supply tank for controlling the delivery of fluid pressure to said tank.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th da of .July, 1920.

' GE RGE A BROWN. 

